These days it seems like I spend half of my time in a dress. With a calendar full of

various holiday events—from large-scale fashion parties to small gatherings with friends, this month has been a neverending rollercoaster of social soirees. It takes a lot of shopping and outfit coordination to come out each time with a thrilling look, but I also get a little help from my collection of dresses. 

It's been said before, but a dress is the definition of a sartorial shortcut. Sure, you need to find the right boots and accessories to compliment it, but that certainly beats dreaming up an entire outfit from scratch. For my holiday wardrobe I've been rotating through a selection of cheerful and elevated power dresses that steal the show every time. From magnificent minis to pretty prints, read ahead to see my Rolodex of compliment-inducing dresses and how the fashion set is styling them.